Warning: this will be long. Feel free to skim or just not read, but my oh my what a week it has been! I LOVE THE MISSION.
But first things first. Not even a week ago, I left the CCM and that was so hard. Six weeks with some of the most amazing people I have ever met! I'm so grateful for each and every one of them and the things that I learned from them.
The Elders in my district were AMAZING. On Sunday, we gave them all ties and little notes just as a thank you and they gave us chocolate. And Maria's with Nutella. Guys Maria's with Nutella = life. They are little round cookies that taste almost like graham crackers and she. You spread Nutella on them. MMMMM. That is what has gotten me through this last week. Thank you Elders of Abinadi. (: It was so hard to say goodbye Monday night. We cried and took pictures and sand hymn number 153 in the Spanish hymn book which was our district favorite. Barcelona is so lucky to be getting these STELLAR elders for 2 years!
Also, if you are going on a mission, just pray that you will get sent to the Spain CCM because that was the best 6 weeks of an MTC experience that I could imagine. The teachers are fabulous and Hermana and President Lovell are amazing!
Tuesday morning, we all went our separate ways and Hermana Stephens and I got on a train to Málaga! #finally We had a bug meeting about rules and stuff but I was so anxious to find out who my trainer would be an where I would be serving. I was the first to find out because oddly enough, mine was the first in alphabetical order of all the Hermanas. This is what I heard....
"Hermana Hauber, you will be serving with...... Hermana Watson in Badajoz!" Wahooooo :)
I was so excited. This was the Hermana that I had been emailing over the summer to find out more about the mission! We both got up and gave each other a big hug,
and got to point on the map where we were heading! Guys, God is so good. She is amazing and we clicked from the very start. right after we were on a train to Sevilla and stayed the night there with some other hermanas and then Wednesday made the final stretch of our journey! We have had some amazing times together already. We got to our piso, and our water had been shut off. We were so confused so we went knocking on all our neighbors doors to see if somebody else was having the same problem. Somebody was finally home, and answered the door for us and told us it had been off since the day before and there was a problem with the pipes, and there were people working on it to get it fixed. It was a tender mercy to stay in Sevilla the night before, although it wasn't the plan originally, because we were scheduled to travel all the way back to Badajoz that night, I know it was the Lord, even with something so simple like that. we've had
lots of bonding experiences already and are like best friends! I have gotten to meet a lot of the branch members already, thanks to a fun activity we had Friday night. It was a fundraiser for the youth to got to efy this coming summer, and American party! We had hot dogs, and hamburgers, and pizza, and brownies and cheesecake :) Holy smokes talk about a lot of food! we showed
up in red white and blue, just to show some country pride. And of course there was English music playing in the background... That's a little awkward when you're the only one that can understand it, and you're the only one who shouldn't be listening to it... (; I've also gotten to meet lots of our investigators and people we are teaching! They are all so nice an welcoming. If we are being real, I probably understand like less than half of what they are saying but you know, it will come with time. My speaking is definitely better than my listening skills but that's okay! My sweet trainer is so nice and always reminds me that I've only been here for a week and that things will get better and that I shouldn't be too hard on myself.
Okay, conference. I was so excited! And the. Had to listen to two sessions in Spanish. That was so hard because I sat for four hours and did not get very much out of it. Well.... We finally got to watch one session in English which was a HUGE blessing! I'm so grateful that we have modern day prophets and apostles to lead us and guide us. I can't wait to go back and read all of the talks and study them.
Guys, this has been the hardest week. I'm exhausted from walking and teaching and trying to understand and being frustrated that I can't, and so many things. But I know God is real. I know that his son, Jesus Christ, atoned for our sins and experienced our afflictions so that he could help us. They know what we are going through and I know that when we trust in thm, they will guide us and our lives in the way they need to be.
Final thought that one of my Abinadi elders shared with me on the bus, on the way to the train station Tuesday morning: 1 Nephi 18: 1-2. The lord will show us and guide us from time to time... He is always there watching but sometimes the guidance only comes from time to time. And also, we should be building our lives after the workmanship of the Lord, not of men. The Lord will guide us! He loves you and he loves me and he loves everybody perfectly and wants the best for us. Remember that, okay?
Alright, I'm done for the week. I love you all and sorry this was so long! Also, if you have emailed me and I haven't written back, I'm sorry. I will write back, I promise! Just not this week cuz I'm out of time. (: Love the Lord and love the life you've been given!
Xoxoxo Hermana Hauber
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| The American party... Notice our patriotic outfits. (; |
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